Structure of a car vacuum cleaner

ABSTRACT

A car vacuum cleaner includes a handle, which is pivoted to a first end of a housing thereof at one end, and releasably engaged with a second end of the housing at an engaging protrusion at other end; the handle is formed such as to be capable of being hooked onto an upper edge of a window of a car with an air outlet of the housing facing outwardly of the car after the engaging protrusion is disengaged from the housing, and after the handle is pivoted away from the second end of the housing. Therefore, the vacuum cleaner can be hung outside a car, and in turns, hot exhaust, and small dust and particulates in the air that are so small as to pass through a filtering net of the cleaner are prevented from passing into the car again when the cleaner is used to vacuum inside of the car.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This Patent Application is a Continuation-in-Part patentapplication Ser. No. 10/368,552, filed Feb. 20, 2003, entitled “AnImprovement on a Car Vacuum Cleaner”.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the invention

[0003] The present invention relates to a car vacuum cleaner, moreparticularly one, which is equipped with a handle capable of pivoting toa normal position for allowing the user to lift the cleaner as well as asecond position for the cleaner to be hung outside a car with the handlebeing hooked onto an upper edge of a window so that small dust,particulates, hot exhaust and so on are prevented from passing into thecar again that have passed through the filtering net of the cleanerwhile the cleaner is being used.

[0004] 2. Brief Description of the Prior Art

[0005] Referring to FIG. 9, a prior car vacuum cleaner was disclosed ona patent application, “AN IMPROVEMENT ON A CAR VACUUM CLEANER” withapplication Ser. No. 10/368,552, with U.S. Patent and Trademark Officeon Feb. 20^(th), 2003 by the inventor of the present invention.

[0006] The prior car vacuum cleaner includes: a housing 11; the housing11 has a holding room 111, and a support 112, which is disposed in theholding room 111, and which has several vent holes 1121 thereon; afiltering net 1122 is secured to the support 112; a supporting plate1131 is fixed to the support 112 by means of screws 1133 while a motor113 is secured to the supporting plate 1131 by means of screws 1134, andis connected to a fan 1132; the housing 11 further has threads 114 on anouter side of an inner end; a cover 13, which has threads 131 on aninner side, is screwed onto the threaded inner end of the housing 11 tocover the inner end of the housing 11; the housing 11 has a cord holdingchamber 116 on the bottom, in which a cord 1162 can be held when thevacuum cleaner is not used; a cover 1161 is provided for covering thecord holding chamber 116 with; a reel portion 117 is formed between twoends of the housing 11; the housing 11 has a first connecting protrusion118 at the inner end, which has a central cylindrical hole, and pinholes1181 communicating with the central cylindrical hole; the housing 11 hasa second connecting protrusion 119 opposite to the first connectingprotrusion 118, which protrusion 119 has an engaging gap;

[0007] a flexible host 14 for air to pass into the housing 11 throughit; the flexible host 14 can be wound around the reel portion 117 of thehousing 11 when it is not used;

[0008] a louver window 115 detachably joined to an outer end of thehousing 11; the louver window 115 has several rows of spaced slopingplates 1153, and vent holes 1154 between the sloping plates 1153; thesloping plates 1153 are capable of guiding air outside and preventingdust from passing into the housing 11; the louver window 115 hasengaging projections 1151, and a flexible plate 1152 for engaging thehousing 11 to secure the louver window 115 in position;

[0009] a handle 12; the handle 12 is pivotally connected to the housing11 with a connecting projection 121 thereof being inserted into thecentral cylindrical hole of the first connecting protrusion 118; pins1182 are inserted into the pinholes 1181 and an annular trench 1211formed on the connecting projection 121 to prevent the handle 12 fromseparating from the housing 11; the handle 12 has an engaging protrusion122, and a gap (not numbered) at the second end; the handle 12 can besecured in a normal position with the engaging protrusion 122 beingfitted into the engaging gap of the second connecting protrusion 119 sothat the user can lift the cleaner by the handle 12; the handle 12 has aframe 123 between two ends; after having been wound around the reelportion 117 of the housing 11, the flexible host 14 will be pressed inposition to not become loose by means of the frame 123 when the frame123 is secured in the normal position.

[0010] When the cleaner is used in a car, air is forced to traveloutside from the car via the filtering net 1122, the vent holes 1121 andthe louver window 115 with the net 1122 stopping dust, dirt etc. in theair from passing outside again; the engaging protrusion 122 of thehandle 12 is joined to the second connecting protrusion 119 of thehousing 11 for allowing the user to lift the vacuum cleaner by thehandle 12.

[0011] The vacuum cleaner can be hung outside a car with the louverwindow 115 being disposed outwardly of the car, and with the second endof the handle 12 being hooked onto an upper edge of a window of the carafter the handle 12 has been turned for one hundred and eighty degreesfrom the normal position thereof. Thus, small dust and particulates inthe air, and hot exhaust are prevented from passing into the car againthat have been passed through the filtering net 1122 when the vacuumcleaner is used to clean inside of the car. And, most of noise producedby the vacuum cleaner is kept outside the car by the window of the car.

[0012] When the vacuum cleaner is not used, the flexible host 14 iswound around the reel portion 117, and the engaging protrusion 122 ofthe handle 12 is engaged with the second connecting protrusion 119 ofthe housing 11 so that the frame 123 of the handle 12 can press the host14 in position, preventing the host 14 from becoming loose.

[0013] If the motor 113 needs repair or replacement, the louver window115 has to be first removed from the housing 11 by means of disengagingthe engaging projections 1151, and the flexible plate 1152 from thehousing 11. If the filtering net 1122 needs cleaning or replacement, theuser only has to first remove the cover 13 to be able to reach the net1133.

[0014] The vacuum cleaner can be hung outside a car by the handle 12when it is used to clean inside of the car therefore hot exhaust, andsmall dust and particulates in the air that are so small as to passthrough the net 1122 are prevented from passing into the car again, notgoing to damage health of the user or make the user uncomfortable. And,when the handle 12 is secured in the normal position after the host 14has been wound around the reel portion 117, the handle 12 can preventthe host 14 from becoming loose, therefore the vacuum cleaner is easy tostore when it is not used.

[0015] It can be understood that the above car vacuum cleaner is moreconvenient to use than other ones that are not equipped with adjustablehandles or incapable of being easily hung outside a car. However, it isfound that there is room for improvement in respect of the handle 12 andthose parts of the housing 11 that are associated with the handle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0016] It is a main object of the present invention to make animprovement on the above car vacuum cleaner so that the handle of thecleaner is easier to operate, and the cleaner is still more convenientto use.

[0017] The cleaner has a housing, and a handle; the handle is pivoted toa first end of the housing at one end, and releasably engaged with asecond end of the housing at an engaging protrusion at other end; thehandle is formed such as to be capable of being hooked onto an upperedge of a window of a car with an air outlet of the housing facingoutwardly of the car after the engaging protrusion has been disengagedfrom the housing, and after the handle has been pivoted away from thesecond end of the housing. Therefore, the vacuum cleaner can be hungoutside a car when the cleaner is used to vacuum inside of the car. Thehandle can be made in such a manner as to be up and down pivotallyconnected to the first end of the housing. And, the handle also can bemade in such a manner as to be left and right pivotally connected to thefirst end of the housing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The present invention will be better understood by referring tothe accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0019]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the car vacuum cleaneraccording to the first embodiment,

[0020]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the car vacuum cleaneraccording to the first embodiment,

[0021]FIG. 3 is a front view of the car vacuum cleaner according to thefirst embodiment,

[0022]FIG. 4 is a view of the car vacuum cleaner of the firstembodiment, hung on a window of a car,

[0023]FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the car vacuum cleaneraccording to the second embodiment,

[0024]FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the car vacuum cleaneraccording to the second embodiment,

[0025]FIG. 7 is a front view of the car vacuum cleaner according to thesecond embodiment,

[0026]FIG. 8 is a view of the car vacuum cleaner of the secondembodiment, hung on a window of a car, and

[0027]FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective of the prior car vacuum cleaneras described in the Background.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0028] Referring to FIGS. 1, and 2, a first preferred embodiment of acar vacuum cleaner in the present invention includes a housing 2, ahandle 3, a filtering net 25, a motor 24, a fan 241 connected to themotor 24, a cover 23 connected to an inner end of the housing 2, alouver window 22 connected to an outer end of the housing 2, and aflexible host 211; the housing 2 has a middle reel portion 21 betweenthe inner and the outer ends thereof for allowing the host 211 to bewound around; the filtering net 25, the motor 24, the cover 23, and theflexible host 211 are connected to the housing 2 in the same way as theprior car vacuum cleaner described in the Background therefore it is notdetailed again herein. The characteristics of the present car vacuumcleaner lie in the handle 3, and those parts of the housing 2 that areassociated with the handle 3, which will be detailed hereinafter.

[0029] The handle 3 has a first connecting end portion 31 at one end, anelastic second connecting portion 34 at the other end, and a middlesecuring frame 33 between the portions 31 and 34. The first connectingend portion 31 has two juxtaposed parts having horizontal extendingthrough holes 311 aligned with each other. The second elastic connectingportion 34 has an engaging protrusion 341 formed at adownwards-projecting section thereof to face the frame 33. A guiding gap36 is formed between the frame 33 and the downwards-projecting sectionof the second connecting portion 34. The handle 3 further has anengaging trench 35 formed above the guiding gap 36.

[0030] The housing 2 has a first connecting portion 26 at an upper sideof the inner end thereof, and a second connecting portion at an upperside of the outer end thereof, which is formed with an engaging hole 27,and which is folded towards the inner end of the housing 2 at two endsthereof to have two guiding sections 271. The first connecting portion26 has a horizontal extending pivotal hole 261.

[0031] To couple the handle 3 to the housing 2, the juxtaposed parts ofthe first connecting end portion 31 of the handle 3 are first positionedon two sides of the first connecting portion 26 of the housing 2 withthe holes 311 being aligned with the pivotal hole 26. Then, a pivotalpin 32 is passed into the holes 311, and 26. Thus, the handle 3 ispivoted to the first connecting portion 26 of the housing 2, and can bepivoted up and down over a vertical plane; the handle 3 can be securelydisposed in a normal position where the securing frame 33 thereof isright above the reel portion 21 of the housing 2, and the engagingprotrusion 341 is engaged with the engaging hole 27 so that a user canlift the vacuum cleaner by the handle 3 when he/she is using thecleaner. Referring to FIG. 4, the engaging protrusion 341 is disengagedfrom the engaging hole 27, and the handle 3 is pivoted away from theengaging hole 27 over a vertical plane, and hooked onto an upper edge ofa window of a car at the engaging trench 35 with the louver window 22facing outwardly of the car; thus, the vacuum cleaner is hung outsidethe car, and in turns, hot exhaust, and small dust and particulates inthe air that are so small as to pass through the net 25 are preventedfrom passing into the car again when the cleaner is used to clean insideof the car. Referring to FIG. 2 again, when the handle 3 is secured inthe normal position after the host 211 has been wound around the reelportion 21, the securing frame 33 of the handle 3 can prevent the host211 from becoming loose.

[0032] Referring to FIGS. 5 to 8, a second embodiment of a car vacuumcleaner is the same as the first embodiment in respect of filtering net25, motor 24, fan 241, cover 23, louver window 22, and a flexible host211, but is slightly different from the first embodiment in handle 3,and those parts of the housing 2 that are associated with the handle 3.

[0033] The handle 3 in the second embodiment is connected to the housing2 in such a manner as to be capable of pivoting on the housing 2 leftand right over a horizontal plane; the handle 3 has a securing frame 33,a first connecting portion 37, which projects down from the first end,and which is formed with an annular trench 371; the handle 3 has anengaging protrusion 341 at an elastic second end portion 34 thereof, aguiding gap 36, and an engaging trench 35 at the second end. The housing3 has a first connecting portion 28 at an inner end, and a secondconnecting portion at an outer end, which is formed with an engaginghole 29, and which is folded towards the inner end of the housing 2 attwo ends thereof to have two guiding sections 291. The first connectingportion 28 has a vertical pivotal hole 281, and through holes 282extending from outside to the pivotal hole 281. The handle 3 is pivotedto the first connecting portion 28 of the housing with the firstconnecting portion 37 thereof being passed into the pivotal hole 281;pins 372 are fitted into the through holes 282, and passed onto theannular trench 371 to prevent the handle 3 from separating from thehousing 2. Thus, the handle 3 can be securely disposed in a normalposition, as shown in FIG. 6, where the securing frame 33 is right abovethe reel portion 21 of the housing 2, and the engaging protrusion 341 isengaged with the engaging hole 29 so that a user can lift the vacuumcleaner by the handle 3 when he/she is using the cleaner. Referring toFIG. 8, the engaging protrusion 341 is disengaged from the engaging hole29, and the handle 3 is pivoted away from the engaging hole 29 over ahorizontal plane, and hooked onto an upper edge of a window of a car atthe guiding gap 36 with the louver window 22 facing outwardly of thecar; thus, the vacuum cleaner is hung outside the car when it is used.

[0034] From the above description, it can be easily understood that thecleaner can be easily hung on a window of the car outside for preventinghot exhaust, and small dust in the air from passing into the car againthat are so small as to pass through the net 25 when the cleaner is usedto vacuum the inside of the car. The handles of both embodiments arerespectively turnable over vertical, and horizontal planes. And, theengaging protrusions 341 of the handles in both embodiments are formedsuch that they can be easily engaged with, and disengaged from, therespective engaging holes 27, 29 of the housings, and in turns, thehandles are easy to use.

What is claimed is:
 1. A car vacuum cleaner, comprising: a housing; afan and a motor disposed in the housing for forcing air to travelthrough the housing; a filtering net disposed in the housing forfiltering out dirt from air traveling through the housing; a covercoupled to an opening of an inner end of the housing; a louver windowcoupled to an opening of an outer end of the housing for air to traveloutside through it; a flexible host joined to the housing; and a handlejoined to the housing; the handle being formed with a first connectingportion at a first end, and an elastic second connecting portion at asecond end; the second elastic connecting portion having an engagingprotrusion formed at a downwards-projecting section thereof and opposingthe first connecting portion; the handle having an engaging trenchformed on an upper side of the second end thereof; the housing having afirst connecting portion at an upper side of the inner end thereof, anda second connecting portion at an upper side of the outer end thereof;the second connecting portion being formed with an engaging holethereon; the handle being pivoted to the first connecting portion of thehousing at the first connecting portion with the engaging protrusion ofthe elastic second connecting portion thereof being releasably engagedwith the engaging hole of the second connecting portion of the housing.2. The car vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the firstconnecting portion of the handle has two spaced and juxtaposed partshaving horizontal extending through holes aligned with each other whilethe first connecting portion of the housing has a horizontal extendingpivotal hole; the handle being up and down pivotally connected to thefirst connecting portion of the housing at the first connecting portionthereof with a pivotal pin being passed into the horizontal extendingthrough holes and the horizontal extending pivotal hole.
 3. The carvacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first connectingportion of the handle is formed with an annular trench around it whilethe first connecting portion of the housing has a vertical pivotal hole,and a plurality of through holes extending from outside to the pivotalhole; the handle being left and right pivotally connected to thevertical pivotal hole of the housing at the first connecting portionthereof with pins being passed into the through holes, and passed ontothe annular trench.
 4. The car vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1,wherein the second connecting portion of the housing is folded towardsthe first connecting portion of the housing at two ends thereof so thattwo guiding sections are formed.